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Microsoft Active Directory pros and cons

Vendor: Microsoft
4.3 out of 5
Badge Leader

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

Microsoft Active Directory offers seamless integration with Azure AD Connect and Microsoft Office 365 for hybrid management.
The tool is recognized for its scalability, allowing easy organization and addition of numerous users.
It enhances security management through features like group policies and centralized ID creation.
It is praised for its stability and performance, with minimal downtime or issues noted.
Audit, authentication, and authorization are key strengths, facilitating effective identity lifecycle management.

CONS

Microsoft Active Directory lacks user-friendly log filtering capabilities and improved security features.
Integration with Mac, iOS, and other solutions needs improvement.
Scalability and stability are areas of concern, as an additional software solution is often required for networking monitoring.
Technical support response times are slow and can be unresponsive for extended periods.
Microsoft Active Directory lacks remote password reset features and sufficient multi-factor authentication support.
 

Microsoft Active Directory Pros review quotes

Rajitha Abhisheka - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 29, 2022
The Solution's most important feature is that it can merge with a cloud-based active directory via Azure AD Connect.
Shivaram Venkatesh - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 10, 2023
One noteworthy aspect we discovered is the ability to exercise tight control over systems, specifically Windows PCs. This pertains to the management of policies, usage patterns, and user access on these devices, particularly within the framework of Active Directory which is extremely well thought. This actually works better with on-premises solutions. However, as the global trend shifts towards cloud and hybrid environments, Active Directory and its use is diminishing. Yet, it hasn't entirely lost its relevance and remains a presence that cannot be entirely disregarded.
Giovanni Baruzzi - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 2, 2025
The features and capabilities of Microsoft Active Directory that I have found the most valuable over the years are that it is a mature technology, it's stable, and it delivers what it promises.
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ashutosh Naik  - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 10, 2023
The scalability of the solution is high...The initial setup of the solution is easy, and I would rate it an eight or nine out of ten on a scale of one to ten, where one being difficult and ten being easy.
Hussein Taha - PeerSpot reviewer
Dec 13, 2022
We can also have separate domain controllers in different Active Directory sites based on their location.
MM
Aug 10, 2023
Active Directory plays a focal point in security management, encompassing aspects like credential management, lifecycle, dynamic provisioning, and the network infrastructure of customers.
CT
Jun 17, 2025
I've been working with Microsoft Active Directory for over 3 years, and we've had no problems.
MR
Aug 3, 2023
It is easy to handle, and it gives a hundred percent results with the group policies.
SHUBHAM BHINGARDE - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 8, 2024
The user interface of the product is very easy to use.
SrikanthSubramanian - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 9, 2025
One valuable feature is the centralized creation of IDs.
 

Microsoft Active Directory Cons review quotes

Rajitha Abhisheka - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 29, 2022
The interface for logs should be user-friendly and allow for enhanced filtering to drill down to incidents.
Shivaram Venkatesh - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 10, 2023
Typically, it depends on the customer's situation. If the customer operates in smaller locations where most PCs are in a common location, we usually aim to consolidate the directory infrastructure for easier maintenance. However, for distributed setups spanning multiple countries, configuring multiple sites becomes necessary and more intricate to handle. Our objective is to minimize the number of sites, simplifying operations for IT administrators and reducing errors. Mistakes in Active Directory can be costly for organizations, as disruptions can occur rapidly. Moreover, when it comes to hybrid single sign-on across various applications, Microsoft hasn't put forth significant effort. Single sign-on has become a challenge for many customers who utilize diverse solutions beyond Microsoft products. While implementing single sign-on is relatively straightforward in the Azure cloud, it's considerably more complex when dealing with the local Active Directory. This presents a big challenge for many of our customers.
Giovanni Baruzzi - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 2, 2025
It's not the tendency of Microsoft to use a standard, but to modify it to their needs. This is catastrophic if you have to integrate other applications that use the same standard.
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2025.
867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ashutosh Naik  - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 10, 2023
In the solution, assigning permissions is complex, making it difficult to grant them at a granular level or to multiple users without templates or alternative tools.
Hussein Taha - PeerSpot reviewer
Dec 13, 2022
If Microsoft is going to add anything to the on-prem solution, it should be an updated GUI.
MM
Aug 10, 2023
I would like to see more integration with cloud-based applications. This would make it easier to manage users and devices across multiple platforms.
CT
Jun 17, 2025
Sometimes, it can be overly complicated, and when you apply Group Policy in an Active Directory environment, sometimes those settings apply and sometimes they don't.
MR
Aug 3, 2023
If you are using the Active Directory, the main concern is that the policy is restricted to the specific local area network.
SHUBHAM BHINGARDE - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 8, 2024
Microsoft Active Directory restricts most of the features our company's employees want to use since they are involved in research and development activities.
SrikanthSubramanian - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 9, 2025
Even better group management would be beneficial.